Customer Reviews

A Catered Thanksgiving (Mystery With Recipes)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the first book I have read by Crawford. Though it is books seven in her culinary mystery series, Crawford has created a story that can easily stand on it's own. Though I hope to go back and read the other six books, I did not feel lost in this story by not having read the previous books.

I have to be honest and say that I hated the Field family. I think that was Crawford's intent. None of them were likable characters, making it easy to suspect them all of murder. At times the banter between Bernie and Libby was a little irritating - sort of like being on the outside looking in - which is how it sometimes is with really close siblings. I found the plot to be rather like an Agatha Christie novel. (I love Agatha Christie) and I'm pleased to say that I was caught off guard by who turned out to be the killer. It was a quick read, one that I finished in a day.

Culinary mysteries are very popular right now. While I would not rate A Catered Thanksgiving among the top culinary mysteries, I did find it an enjoyable enough read that I will read other books in the series.

I didn't really enjoy this book. The main problem that I had with it was the long sections of "internal monologue" where the villain refers to themselves in third person without any personal pronouns. I think the author meant this as a way to keep the murderer's gender a secret, and it might not seem like a big deal. Trust me, though: it made for tedious reading. I also didn't feel like the characters were very well developed. The two protaganists were barely distinguishable from each other, and to top it off, they never left each others' side for the entire book.

The Bernie and Libby series is a lot of fun, and this installation is no exception! The only thing I'm still wondering is what is a nesserole?? Looking forward to more adventures with Bernie, Libby, their boyfriends and their Dad!

They have opposite personalities but Bernie and Libby are sisters who are also good friends while running a catering business A Little Taste of Heaven in Westchester, New York. There latest job is catering a Thanksgiving dinner at the Field Mansion; for Monty, his two children (Melissa and George), his brothers (Perceval and Ralph) and his wife Lexus as well as Geoff, Bob and Pauline. They all must be on their best behavior or Marley will cut them out of his will.

While the sisters cook the turkey, Marley walks in and taps the bird until the timer pops up and blows his head to smithereens. Someone placed a mini-bomb in the turkey connected to the pop-up and everyone knew Marley always tapped on the bird. His death was obviously a premeditated murder. Libby and Bernie prefer to leave because most of the people there have motives to kill the victim. However, a blizzard trapped them. Not wanting to feel useless, the siblings do what they do second best (after cooking): investigate a murder.

The latest Isis Crawford amateur sleuth is a holiday treat because of the two hilarious sisters who argue, fuss and detect while debating what to do next. Bernie is a kick butt in your face while Libby is a girly girl, but both are brave and together form a yin and yang terrific sleuthing team. The case is interesting as the victim was a control freak who uses money to make his family obey his whims and those who fall out of favor fall out of the will. Even from the grave, his presence is felt all over this fine Thanksgiving whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

As a fan of the "Catered mystery series," I not only look forward to another great story when these appear on the market, but I also look forward to the original recipes that are included in these books. Being dedicated to Thanksgiving, (the ultimate savory holiday), this new novel had my mouth watering before I even opened the cover.

We are back with Bernie and Libby - the fantastic sisters who own A Little Taste of Heaven catering company. They're still as witty, charming, and talented as they have been in other stories, and their business has grown by leaps and bounds. They had no idea that with only a one-line mention in the New York Times about how fantastic their pies were, that there would be lines out the door this day before Thanksgiving, and that they would still be working on filling over 150 orders before the day was over.

Their father, Sean, has decided to go visit his sister for Thanksgiving in Florida. He hasn't spoken with her in twenty-nine years, but he really wants to get out of his daughters' way so that they can concentrate on the catering job they have to do for Thanksgiving Day. They have been hired by the Field family - a wealthy bunch who made all their money in fireworks - to serve them a feast they won't soon forget. And, boy...was that an understatement.

On Thanksgiving morning the sky opens up and a blizzard begins to take over their town. As Bernie and Libby load up their van and try desperately to get through the snow, they barely make it to the Field's "compound." Inside, they meet up with a variety of family members including: Lexus - the young, blonde trophy wife of the patriarch, Monty Field - who is constantly complaining because she thought she'd be dripping in diamonds and furs by now; Ralph and Perceval, Monty's two brothers who, literally, can't stand their brother but know that if they don't show up for the Thanksgiving dinner they might be cut out of his will; Geoff - Monty's grandson; and, Melissa, Monty's daughter from his first marriage who is slightly overweight, despises Lexus, and works as a nurse in the local E.R.

When readers first meet this family, they're sitting in a room that is no more than fifty degrees, on furniture that looks like it belongs to a hobo living on the street, wondering why Monty Field is so unbelievably cheap and ornery. There isn't one of his family members who don't wish that he would simply drop dead so that they could split the forty million dollar art collection and turn the heat up before they freeze to death.

When the caterers arrive, they begin to set up the feast for the family. When Monty Field appears in the kitchen to check the turkey in the oven, Bernie and Libby watch in fear and amazement as the roasting bird explodes in Monty's face...literally. Now there are family members pointing fingers at every other member of the family accusing them of murder. Secrets begin to surface about a divorce in the works that would've left Lexus penniless - to a takeover of the company that Monty hadn't told his brothers about. There is no shortage of suspects, and Libby and Bernie need to solve this puzzle before the police arrive and haul them off to jail for bringing the deadly poultry into Monty Field's home.

Just like the Murder She Wrote series, and the best that Agatha Christie had to offer, these books are extremely fun "who-dun-its" with great action, well-written puzzles, and dialogue a reader will not soon forget. And, like I said, the recipes and the descriptions of the food are SO real and well-done that you'll need to have a plate beside you as you read so that you can fill your stomach at the same time as you feed your brain. Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Amy Lignor